Earth to Republicans: You Are In Big Political Trouble Over the Ryan Medicare Plan

Update: The Wyden-Ryan Medicare Plan - Paul Ryan and Ron Wyden Blow the Medicare Reform Debate Wide Open! It should now be clear to Republicans they are in trouble over the Ryan Medicare plan.Yesterday, they lost a seat in a solid Republican New York House district. Their candidate had benefited from lots of money and House leadership attention. The big issue was the Ryan Medicare plan.All month,

Anthem Blue Cross CA To Add Paramedical Exam Requirement

Effective 6/15/2011, Anthem Blue Cross California will begin requiring (and paying for) a paramedical exam for certain applicants. This is a new requirement, however it has been done in the past but at the applicant's expense. Now it will be paid for by Anthem Blue Cross.

The following situations will require a paramedical examination paid by Anthem Blue Cross CA:

1. Applicants 55 years or older who have not seen a doctor in 24 months or more;

2. Applicants 30-54 years old who have not seen a doctor in 5 years or more

Situations like this are fairly uncommon although I have seen a few cases where the new paramedical exam would apply. The good news is that the applicant no longer will have to pay for the exam themselves!

Cheers!

Dave (www.davefluker.com)

The Lightweight Romney Health Plan

Mitt Romney has outlined his new health plan. He outlined five key steps in an op-ed in USAToday. Here is a summary:Step 1: Give states the responsibility, flexibility and resources to care for citizens who are poor, uninsured or chronically ill.who are poor, uninsured or chronically ill.Step 2: Reform the tax code to promote the individual ownership of health insurance.Step 3: Focus federal

Neither the Republicans Nor the Democrats Want to Face the Provider Cost Problem But Both Want to Dump the Problem on the Consumer

A key piece of Paul Ryan’s deficit reduction plan is to change Medicare as we know it. It appears his bold Medicare premium support proposal is failing to gain traction--it is dead as part of any deficit reduction deal this year. Worse, his Medicare proposal looks to be giving Democrats lots of political ammunition for the 2012 elections.What lies at the heart of Ryan’s Medicare difficulties is